The Celestial Sketchbook
by arkanghel22
Summary: Shampoo brings a magic sketchbook granting wishes. The whole Nerima goes crazy over it of course. first story i ever made


CELESTIAL SKETCHBOOK 

_A Fanfic done by Saint. All Ranma ½ characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi._

            Math always bored Ranma to death. All those Math equations simply just boggled his mind. Why do they have to learn it anyway? He wouldn't need it when he runs the dojo. He stifled a yawn as he slumped in his chair. The answers to those darn math questions just eluded him. He had to think really hard before he could get the right answer. He wondered how Akane could do it in just seconds. She was really good in Academics.

            Akane…On their way to school, she dropped a notebook and he retrieved it and gave it to her. She thanked him and smiled in appreciation. She looked so beautiful when she smiled at him like that, but it was so seldom he could count it with his fingers. He treasured those few times in his heart, right beside his childhood memories of his mother. Absentmindedly, he started doodling while staring out the window.

            "Mr. Saotome!," the sharp voice of their sensei called Ranma back to reality. He quickly snapped into attention. Their teacher stood right beside his desk, a reproving expression on his face. His classmates were all staring at him.

            "Well?," their sensei asked sharply.

            "Errr… could you repeat the question, sensei?," he said sheepishly, a hand behind his head.

            Their teacher sighed in defeat. "Go to the board and do math problem no. 12," he repeated tiredly. Students like Ranma Saotome are the bane in a teacher's existence. 

            "Poor Ranma," Akane thought as she watched him jump up and move to the front. 

            Inquisitively, Hiroshi leaned over to Ranma's desk to see what he'd been doodling. His eyes grew big and a mischievous grin appeared on his face. While Ranma and their Sensei wasn't looking, he grabbed Ranma's notebook and held it up for all to see.

            "Pssst! Daisuke! Look, Ranma's really knows how to draw!" Hiroshi said in a stage whisper. Everybody within hearing distance looked at what Hiroshi held aloft.

It was a rough sketch of Akane smiling. 

            Yup, it was Akane alright. It was pretty rough, but there was no denying it. Their classmates glanced at the notebook and then at Akane with knowing grins. Akane felt herself going pink in embarrassment. She bowed her head to hide her blush. Ranma was daydreaming of her?!? She felt like she was melting inside. Maybe Ranma liked her even just a teeny, weeny bit.

            Ranma returned to his desk with no knowledge of what just transpired. He wondered at the knowing grins that his classmates threw his way and the considering look Akane wore when she glanced at him. 

            Ukyo fumed at the far side of the classroom. Her Ran-chan had no business daydreaming of Akane! It should be her he was thinking about! Then she suddenly brightened up when she had an idea. It was just one picture of Akane. She was sure Ran- chan must've daydreamed of her more often. His notebook must be full of drawing of her. Ukyo turned starry-eyed. She decided she had to get that notebook!

            The bell finally rang to signal lunchtime. A collective sigh of relief came from the students. On their way out, some of the girls sidled to Ranma's desk first and told him he was so romantic which thoroughly confused and embarrassed him. Other guys slapped him at the back and elbowed each other. He laughed them off, and leaned to Hiroshi's side.

            "What the hell are they talking about?!" he demanded. Hiroshi innocently stared at him. 

            "Huh? I haven't the slightest idea," he said all too quickly.

            Akane reluctantly stood up with her bento. She had made up her mind to make an effort to be nicer to Ranma. She was considering asking him to go to lunch with her today but she'd suddenly felt timid. She didn't know why.

            Ranma noticed her standing by her desk looking his way. He guessed she wanted to talk to him about something but didn't want to butt in with his friends. Since he had no clue what the guys were talking about, he decided to approach her instead and know what she wanted. Ranma told the guys to get lost and walked to Akane's side.

            Akane saw him coming and half-panicked. She tucked a wayward strand behind her ear nervously. Unnoticed by the two, eyes watched them from the doors and windows with bated breaths. 

            "R-Ranma," she stammered. Was she stammering? That can't be. Ranma picked up her nervousness and began fidgeting, too.

            "What is it, Akane?" he asked uncertainly. Was she trying to be nice? Was she going to ask him to have lunch with her? He stared at her bowed head expectantly. Akane took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and lifted her head.

            "Would you… would you…have lll…" Akane almost finished when….

            "Airen!!!!," a shrill voice called out as a bike crashed through the window and into the classroom. A collective groan came out of all sides, and the three Martial Artists glanced around in surprise. Students rose up from their hiding places looking disappointed, some even glared darkly at Shampoo. 

            "Pay up! Pay up! Told you nothing'll happen!," they heard Nabiki call out. She paused as she collected from some of the students foolish enough to bet against her and waved cheerfully at them. "Don't mind me, just doing business!" 

            Akane and Ranma sighed in unison. "Never mind, Ranma," Akane said curtly as she turned away.

            "But Akane!" Ranma was sorely disappointed because of the distraction and very tempted to throw Shampoo and her bike out the window.

            "Husband not mind violent tomboy, Shampoo have something better!" Shampoo said as she grabbed Ranma's arm to keep him from leaving. She waved something in front of him. Ranma stopped struggling for a moment, and glanced at what she was holding. It looked like a  leatherbound portfolio with strange markings outside.

            "It Celestial Sketchbook. What Shampoo draw inside come true," Shampoo explained.

            "Are you saying you can draw anything you wish and that sketchbook will make it come true?" he asked, intrigued. Shampoo nodded. Ranma's mind started churning out fantasies of his wishes. No Curse, no fear of cats, no fiancée trouble, no Happosai… He didn't notice Shampoo drawing excitedly with the sketchbook.

            "Airen look at Shampoo draw!" she said as she opened the book and gave it to Ranma.

            "What… mmph!"

            Akane also got intrigued with what she heard. She stopped and turned around to see the magic book for herself when she saw something she was really not expecting. 

            Ranma was kissing Shampoo.

            "RANMA NO BAKA!" she shouted with rage and punted him into orbit.

            "Heeheee!!! Shampoo wish work!" Shampoo said jubilantly, dancing and waving the sketchbook in the air. Akane looked at her in disgust and stomped off. Shampoo continued dancing with glee when a ribbon suddenly encircled the sketchbook and yanked it out of her grasp.

            "Is this the sketchbook you were telling me about, Sasuke?," the black- haired gymnast otherwise known as Kodachi asked the diminutive ninja by her side.

            "Yes, mistress," he averred.

            "And all I have to do is draw what I wish and show it to the person concerned and it will come true?"

            The ninja nodded again. Kodachi ripped the Shampoo's drawing off and hopped out of the window.

            "HOHOHOHOHHH!!! Now I can make my beloved Ranma marry me now!" the two hopped on the rooftops in a flurry of black rose petals.

            Shampoo drew out her bonbori. "Give Shampoo back Celestial Sketchbook!" she yelled and followed them out.

-- o – 0 – o --

"Uhhhhhh… that hurt!" Ranma groaned as he rubbed his head. "Where am I anyway? …

Alright, I just reached the park! I'm not too far from the school!" he thought. He jumped up and checked his bearings, then proceeded to go back to the school. His thoughts returned to the Celestial Sketchbook Shampoo showed him. Ranma's eyes began to glaze over as he thought of the wishes he could make using it. First of all, he wanted his curse cured. The next thing he'll wish for is that he gets cured of his fear of cats. Then, he'll wish that his fiancée problems be solved… and of course he'll wish that his mother will accept him. Then he'll wish that he can tell Akane he l-l-lllo… How will he draw his wishes anyway? They were too complicated… Oh heck, he'll just think about it when he gets the damn book! He began plotting his strategy to get the sketchbook for himself.

            "Crazy girl give Shampoo sketchbook now!" Ranma suddenly heard Shampoo's voice from above. Then a shower of black petals rained all around him.

            "No, not Kodachi!," he groaned inwardly. The black haired girl landed gracefully on the wall beside him. He noticed that she had the sketchbook with her. Shampoo came to a stop on the wall behind him.

            "Celestial Sketchbook mine! Make Husband come to China!" she said angrily.

            Kodachi ignored her, and turned to Ranma with a devious smile. "Look Ranma, beloved!" she crowed as she flashed the sketchbook in front of him. Against his wishes, his eyes looked at the drawing. It was a skillfully detailed drawing of Kodachi and Ranma in Traditional Wedding garb. It was in color, too.

            "I payed a really great artist to do this for us, darling!" she said shrilly. 

In horror, Ranma found himself kneeling in the middle of the street wearing wedding clothes, with Kodachi clutching his arm lovingly. For a moment, they froze, waiting for something to happen. Sudenly, Ranma plucked the sketchbook from Kodachi's grasp and jumped away.

            "Idiot! You forgot to draw the priest!" he laughed in amusement as he hopped to the roof of the nearest house. He heard Kodachi cry out in frustration and vent her ire on poor Sasuke.

-- o -- 0 – o --

      "I got the sketchbook! I got the sketchbook!" Ranma yelled gleefully. He glanced behind 

him and saw Shampoo and Kodachi in hot pursuit. "Gotta lose them first!" he thought. Looking around for a place to hide, he saw an open window and decided to hazard it. Adding a spurt of speed in his steps, he made sure that his pursuers didn't see him change direction and head for the window.

            Thank God the room was unoccupied! He watched the two girls hop by, and then let out a sigh of relief he was holding. Now for the sketchbook. Ranma sat down on the bed and opened the sketchbook carefully, making sure he didn't look at Kodachi's drawing as he tore it off. Finally, he was ready to draw! His wishes started parading through his mind and he couldn't decide what he wanted to wish first… and how. Hmmm… how many pages are there left in the sketchbook anyway? He counted them and found that there were just four left. No matter, that was enough for all his wishes. 

            Suddenly, the door opened and a woman entered the room. When she saw Ranma, she screamed and then fainted. Meanwhile, Ranma had jumped up in surprise and started blabbering apologies as he moved to the window. 

            "Sorry 'bout this, Ma'am!" he said as he stepped out the window. "I'm not a thief, I was just… oh, what the heck! You can't hear me anyway!" 

            SPLASH! A black and white blur passed by him as he was momentarily stunned.

            A panda stood on the ground with a pail and a wooden sign saying "Your defenses are down! You're slacking off your practice, son!"  In his mouth, he had the sketchbook.

            The now female Ranma glared at her now panda father. "No, you can't take that yet! I'm not finished!" she yelled angrily. The panda just gave her the red-eye and started running away. 

            "Get back here!" she started chasing the panda who threw a sign to her.

            "Just think of this as Practice. Try and catch me!" it said. She snarled as she threw the sign out of her way. Her eyes suddenly grew big when she saw the thing the panda just threw her. A refrigerator came crashing down and almost flattened her but she managed to evade it while not breaking her stride. Then she almost slammed against a safe embedded on the concrete, and then a bathtub came whizzing down the street. Ranma safely avoided the projectiles while still in hot pursuit of the panda.

            "Hah! That was pathetic, you dirty Panda!" she yelled at her pop.

            "Oh yeah? Try this then" it signaled back.

            "What the -- ?" At first, Ranma didn't guess what the little things were that the panda threw back at him until he lost his balance on one. "Marbles?!"

            Desperately, she tried to keep her balance. She made a pretty funny sight flailing and dancing like that in the middle of the street. Suddenly somebody grabbed her by the waist and brought her to the sidewalk safely.

            "Hey, thanks… Kuno?!" she cringed back when she found out who her rescuer was. It was Kodachi's older and equally crazy brother, Tatewaki Kuno.

            "I will accept thy thanks later on, my Pig-tailed girl… after I gain possession of that Celestial Sketchbook, we will date!" Kuno declared with stars in his eyes. Ranma threw him off in disgust.

            "Not on your life, pervert!" she said as she sprang away. Ranma promised herself to include Kuno in her Wish list of people she never wanted to see again.

            The big Panda threw a glance behind him. Finding no Ranma in sight, it stopped and hunched down by the sidewalk. Taking the sketchbook from its mouth, it then pulled a pencil out from its fur. With a flourish, it began drawing furiously.

            "Growf!!!! (meaning FINISHED!)" it said. It held the drawing at armslength, and waited for something to happen. Nothing.

            "Let me see that, Pop," Ranma appeared in front of the Panda out of nowhere and plucked the sketchbook from its paws. She stared at it for a brief moment, and then collapsed laughing. The panda glared at her.

            "You call that drawing? A child could do better than that!" Ranma wiped the tears of laughter in her eyes and stared at the Panda's stick drawing again and collapsed in helpless laughter all over again.

            "I'm a Panda. What did you expect?" the Panda held up a sign and glowered at the girl rolling helplessly on the floor. 

            "You can't draw even if you were in human form and even though your life depended on it, old man!" Ranma said as she picked herself up. "Now excuse me, I've got a wish to draw," she said and ran away with the sketchbook.

-- o – 0 – o --

            Akane picked the piece of paper Shampoo drew on and which Kodachi tore off from the Sketchbook. It was a rough drawing of a Pigtailed boy kissing a girl in a Chinese costume. Akane crumpled it angrily.

            "Heeheee!!! Shampoo wish work!" Shampoo's words suddenly echoed in her mind. She recalled the look of surprise in Ranma's face as he kissed Shampoo. He didn't look very happy, too. 

            "Shampoo wished that Ranma kiss her. Ranma didn't really want to do it!" she thought in stupefaction. "and I didn't even give him time to explain!" She remembered all the times she'd caught him hugging Shampoo or Ukyo and she got so angry she malleted Ranma away without even hearing him out. On second thought, Ranma always looked like he was a trapped animal when Shampoo or Ukyo got too intimate. Then she'd always got furious with him when in fact, it was never his fault.

            "I've got to make it up to him!" she said to herself. 

-- o – 0 – o --

            Ranma ran quickly but cautiously towards the school. Shampoo, her father, Kodachi, and Kuno were still looking for her so she had to be careful. As she ran, he thought of the sketchbook she was holding. Hmmm… three pages left, meaning she only had three wishes left. First, she was going to wish for her curse to be gone, and that she won't be afraid of cats anymore, and last…

            Ranma's instincts suddenly kicked in and he jumped out of the way of a couple of mini spatulas aimed for his head. He landed atop the wall, facing the okonomiyaki chef. 

            "Ucchan?!" he gasped in disbelief. "Are you trying to kill me?"

            Ukyou looked determined, she unsheathed her giant spatula from her back and squared her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Ran- chan, but I need that Sketchbook!!!" she said calmly.

            "YAAAAAHHHH!!!"

            Ukyo jumped high in the air, holding the spatula up ready to swat Ranma. Ranma dodged the swinging spatula and jumped out of the way. Ukyo followed, hot on her heels. She threw a couple of mini spatulas but Ranma managed to backflip out of the way on time. 

            "Ucchan, you're my best friend!!! Don't do this!" Ranma pleaded while trying to evade being swatted. Ukyou ignored him, and suddenly delivered a powerful shove that Ranma had no time to escape. She flew backwards and landed against a light post. Although dazed, Ranma struggled to her feet and jumped out of the way of Ukyo's mini spatulas.

            "I won't fight you, Ucchan! Ooof, hey that hurt!!!"

            "That's too bad, then," Ukyo said as she jabbed Ranma with her Giant spatula. Ranma blocked as best as she could as she backed away. Suddenly, she felt the cold wall against her back. She'd been backed to a corner!!!

            Ranma cringed as Ukyo raised the giant spatula for the final blow. But instead of finishing him off, the okonomiyaki chef swiped the sketchbook from Ranma's grasp. Ranma sweatdropped as she watched Ukyo draw madly on the sketchbook.

            "Heeheee!! Finished!!! Look, Ranma!!!" she cried out afterwards.

            What can be this time? A kiss, a hug? Maybe a wedding again? Ranma unwillingly looked at Ukyou's drawing… and sweatdropped big time.

            What the hell is that? A familiar looking notebook appeared in Ukyou's hand and she squealed in delight.

            "It worked! It worked!!! Thanks Ranchan!!!" she cried out as she rushed away with the notebook. Ranma was left staring dazedly at Ukyo's drawing.

            "Hmmmm… Disappointed she didn't wish for marriage or something??" Hot water poured down on Ranma's head, turned him back into a boy and drew him out of his bewilderment. He glanced at Akane who stood by his side holding a kettle. 

            "Ouch, ouch!!! That was hot ya know!!!" he said accusingly, "and I'm not… disappointed! I was just surprised."

            Akane frowned at him. "What? Your ego got hurt she didn't want to marry you? You like her, don't you!!!" She glared at him. Ranma shook his head vigorously. 

            "No, baka!!! That's not the issue!!!" 

"Who' re you calling Baka, Baka!?!"

The two didn't notice someone creep to their side and calmly take the Sketchbook from Ranma. They were too busy shouting at each other by then. Tatewaki Kuno took out a pen with a flourish and started drawing, occasionally glancing at Akane.

"…why would anyone want to date a tomboy like you anyway?!"

"Look who's talking, sex- changing freak!! Hentai!!!"

Kuno capped his pen, examined his drawing, and nodded in satisfaction. He laughed diabolically, drawing the quarrelling couple's attention. Seeing he got their attention, Kuno stepped nearer and did a pose. Behind him, Lightning forked down from the sky dramatically.

"This is the day of Reckoning!!! On this fateful day, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High will manifest his Love for thee, my fair Akane Tendo. Come and meet thy destiny!!!!" Kuno orated grandly. He stretched out his hand holding the Sketchbook for Akane to see.

Ranma's eyes grew wide. "Akane!!! Don't look!!!" he yelled as he took her in his arms and jumped away. 

"Saotome!!! You cur!!! Bring back my beloved Akane to me!!!" Kuno howled. 

Ranma let Akane down atop a roof. Her face was flushed, and she couldn't seem to look him in the eyes. "Stay here, Akane? He probably wished to kiss you, or worse marry you!" He shuddered in revulsion.

Akane saw red. "What do you mean?" That I'm not worth marrying?" she asked angrily, fists clenched. Ranma backed away fearfully.

"That's not it, Akane!!!" he said, and then he hopped away.

"I mean I won't be able to handle it if you got married to that crazy Kuno," he called out. Akane watched him run back to where Kuno. A blush slowly crept on her cheeks.

"Ranma…" she whispered.

-- o – 0 – o --

            Ranma ran back to get the Sketchbook. Only one page left!!! Ranma gritted his teeth. What will he wish for? He'd been living with his curse for a long time now, and he'd learned to live with it. His fear of cats have proven to be advantageous, too. He can live with that. That left…

            Ranma landed on Kuno's head, and plucked the sketchbook unceremoniously from his hands. "I believe that's mine, Kuno," he said. 

            Kuno shook with fury. "Ranma Saotome, you are the bane of my Existence!!! The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High will not rest until he defeats you, the foul sorcerer who has enslaved my fair Akane Tendo!!!" 

            Ranma sprang away before he got hit by the other boy's bokken. 

            "I have no time for this, bokken boy. I've got a wish to make," he said before jumping over the wall. Ranma ran along the top of the wall while Kuno chased after him on the street. Ranma opened the sketchbook and ripped Kuno's drawing out. 

            "Hey!" Kuno yelled in anger as a crumpled piece of paper bounced on his head. Kuno smoothed it up, and then glared darkly up at Ranma. "I worked really hard on this drawing! You'll pay for that, Saotome!!!" 

            "You have an over- active imagination, Kuno, maybe you should see a psychiatrist. You'll never have Akane, and you'll never defeat me," Ranma said arrogantly.

            "AAAAARGHHHH!!! Take this!!!" Kuno shouted, launching himself up in the air for Ranma. 

            "No! Ranma, take this!!!," Ryoga came out of nowhere and used Kuno's head as a springboard to get to the pigtailed Martial Artist.

            "Where'd you come from, P-chan?" Ranma said as he hopped away from Ryoga's Umbrella, and then delivered a kick to the face.

            "None of your business, Saotome! I want that Sketchbook!!!" Ryoga yelled, lunging for him again. The two ran off, leaving Kuno behind.

            "Sssketchbook… must hhhave… Akane… ptoowie!!," Kuno blabbered on the ground before falling unconscious.

-- o – 0 – o --

"Hahahaha!!! With this notebook, everyone will see that I'm the one Ranchan fantasizes about!!!" Ukyou thought gleefully as she walked through the corridor. Visions of Ranma standing before an easel sketching her while he threw her looks of adoration occasionally filled her imagination. She collapsed against the wall with a goofy smile on her face.

Without further ado, she opened Ranma's math notebook… and her smile disappeared. She turned the page frantically.

"No!!!" she yelled angrily. She turned the pages faster.

"No!!!" 

Panic started building up inside her as she rifled through the notebook. She began to regret taking the notebook in the first place.

"No! I don't believe this! I WON'T believe this!!!" she yelled furiously. 

No sketches of Ukyou, not even a written name of her. She threw the notebook away in disgust. Her fantasy started to crumble. There was no denying the evidence. Every other page of Ranma's notebook had a sketch of another girl… Akane. 

For a moment, she stared at the open notebook on the floor. Then she ran away as fast as she can, trying to wipe the tears before they fell to the ground. 

-- o – 0 – o --

"Die Ranma!!!," Ryoga shouted as he threw punches at Ranma. 

"You're too slow, pig boy!!!," Ranma taunted. He countered with a sweeping kick at Ryoga's leg. The other boy anticipated the move and hopped away. Ranma followed with a series of punches. Ryoga blocked and then jumped up the fence to get some space.

"What bandanna boy doing to Husband!?!!" A flying kick to the head knocked Ryoga to the river on the other side of the fence.

"Bwee!!!", a little black piglet squealed angrily up at the Chinese purple haired girl.

"Ranma is not your Husband, he's MINE!!!!!" a shrill voice interrupted. Black rose petals drifted all around the martial Artists. 

"Oh great! Kodachi's back," Ranma thought in exasperation. The black haired gymnast balanced on top of the roof, glowering at Shampoo. The two girls glared daggers at each other, and then drew out their weapons.

"Gotta go, y'all!!! See ya later!!!!,"

The two combatants glanced at Ranma in surprise. The pig- tailed martial artist was currently running for the school at top speed, leaving a cloud of dust at his wake.

"Airen, come back!!!"

"Don't leave me, Ranma- sama!!!"

The two girls chased after him.

"Bwee!!!" a small black piglet squealed angrily after them.

-- o – 0 – o --

  Akane stooped to examine the crumpled paper at Kuno's side. Her face grew pink when she finally saw what was drawn in it. It was a fair rendition of her… kissing Kuno passionately.

"Uhhhrgggh… my angel… Akaneeee" Kuno started to come out of his stupor and reach out for Akane's leg. Akane kicked him unconscious again.

"Thank Kami I didn't see your drawing earlier!", she muttered as she crumpled the paper again and threw it to a nearby trashcan. "Thank Kami Ranma saved me from seeing it".

"I hope he gets that Sketchbook," she thought as she walked quickly towards the school.

-- o – 0 – o --

Finally, Ranma entered the school gates. It will be harder for the others to get to him once he gets inside the building. He looked cautiously around him. No sign of any lunatic pursuers. He started to walk across the school yard when he heard a rumble, like faraway thunder. He glanced frantically around him as the rumble started growing louder. Suddenly, a big sack of women's underwear fell over him.

"Look here! Look here!!! If it isn't my beloved student!!! Won't you try one of this lovelies, Ranma?," the gnarled stump of an old man croaked out. Happosai held out a pink lacy bra with lots of ruffles for Ranma to see.

The pigtailed martial artist visibly trembled with rage. "I am not your student and I will NOT wear that!!!" Ranma yelled on top of his lungs.

"Oh, well," Happosai shrugged and then grabbed the Sketchbook from Ranma. "I guess you don't have time for that. Especially since you've got a big problem coming your way," he said, pointing to the group of rampaging women in various stages of undress coming their way. The old martial artist nimbly jumped up the wall and then on a tree

"What the…," Ranma blustered in bewilderment. He took one look at the mob and launched himself after Happosai. Behind them, the mob screamed in frustration. Ranma sighed in relief.

The old man had gained a lot of ground in so short a time. Ranma chased after him atop the roofs. Suddenly, he spotted Shampoo coming the other way, Ryoga was standing by the road with a kettle, and further ahead Kuno was just shaking himself out of his state of unconsciousness. He can't deal with all of them all at once!!! Then he got an idea.

"Kuno!!! Shampoo said she likes you!!! There she is!!!," Ranma called out. Kuno seemed to suddenly regain his senses and jumped up the roof.

"I am flattered that such a lovely maiden adores the perfectness of the Blue Lightning's being!!! Shampoo, I will date you!!!!," Kuno yelled pompously. Shampoo screeched into a halt, eyes narrowing into slits when she saw the bokken- clad boy run towards her. 

"Bokken boy no touch Shampoo!!!!" the Chinese girl shouted. Kuno went flying into orbit. Ranma chuckled.

"One down," Ranma muttered to himself. Meanwhile, Ryoga had climbed up the wall, and waited with his umbrella ready.

"Ryoga, if you get the Magic Sketchbook from Happosai, you can wish anything you want!!!!", Ranma shouted out. Ryoga glanced at the small running figure and launched one of his bandannas after Happosai.

The wily old man easily evaded it. "Can't catch me! Can't catch me!!!" he sang out. Suddenly, a bonbori shot out for Happosai's back. The old martial artist backflipped, grabbed the weapon in midair and threw it back to Shampoo.

Shampoo was taken by surprise but managed not to get hurt too bad. She took a hit on her arm. Still, she got up for an attack again. Ryoga lunged and started a series of jabs with his umbrella. Happosai blocked and then suddenly delivered a powerful punch that made Ryoga fly out against a wall. He stood up unsteadily. Shampoo caught Ryoga's eye, and they nodded together.

With a combined cry, they rushed for Happosai. 

"Tsk, tsk. That ain't gonna work," Happosai said with a smirk. He suddenly glomped at Shampoo's breasts, shocking her, and then launched himself at Ryoga, pushing a pressure point that prevented Ryoga from moving. Ryoga collapsed like a statue on Shampoo. 

"AAAAIEEEEE!!!! Pig-boy get off Shampoo!!!!," Shampoo shouted angrily pushing against Ryoga. 

"I can't!!! I can't move!!!!," Ryoga said in a muffled voice. His face was buried in the Chinese girl's bosom. Ranma shook his head in exasperation.

It was Ranma's turn. He went all out against Happosai, doing a series of kicks and punches. 

"Give me back that Sketchbook, old man!!!!" he grated out. 

"Try and catch me first!!!," Happosai red-eyed him. Muttering a curse, he went after the small martial artist. Ranma dodged one of the old man's small bombs. Trying to catch him off guard, Ranma tried a high kick on the head, but Happosai just captured his leg and then sent him against a wall. 

Ranma quickly regained his feet and dove for Happosai again. The wily old man was too fast for him, he blocked every punch and kick he delivered. Gritting his teeth, he intensified his attack. 

"Hiryuu Shoten Ha!!!!," he shouted. Happosai's eyes grew wide. He hadn't expected that.

            "You'll pay for this, you ungrateful boyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!," Happosai shouted as he sailed away into the sunset. The sketchbook came fluttering down to Ranma's waiting hands.

            "YES!!!," he whooped out. He did a little dance of victory before calming down again.

            "Later, guys!," Ranma called out to Shampoo and Ryoga as he rushed off to the school again. 

            "Wait! Shampoo go with Airen!!! No leave Shampoo here!!!" Shampoo pleaded but Ranma was out of hearing range by then. She sighed and stared at the sky resignedly as a piece of paper lazily fluttered in the wind finally rested near her. 

-- o – 0 – o --

            Ranma giddily entered the school through a window. At last, he got the Sketchbook to himself!!! At last, he can make his wish!!!! With shaking hands, he opened the sketchbook… 

… and saw nothing.

-- o – 0 – o --

Akane saw Kuno go flying through the air and realized something important must be happening. She hurried to where she saw the boy came from. As she came near, she saw Ryoga crash to a wall and then get up for another assault again. 

By the time she got to the scene of the fight, everything was over. She saw Happosai fly up in the air, and then the sketch came falling down to Ranma's grasp. Happosai howled a threat, but Ranma was already too engrossed in his victory dance to notice. Afterwards, he rushed off to the school.

Akane smiled, happy for Ranma's good fortune. She noticed Shampoo and Ryoga lying together and considered helping them up but thought better of it. Knowing them, they might bungle everything up for Ranma again.

"I better go catch up with Ranma," she thought.

"Violent Girl – err… Akane help Shampoo, please!!!" Shampoo called to Akane as she passed them. Ryoga also made a noise but she wasn't sure what he was saying since his voice was muffled by Shampoo's breasts.

"Sorry, I'm in hurry, Shampoo. I'll tell Mousse you're here when I see him," she said. Suddenly, she spotted the piece of paper by Shampoo's side.

"What's this?," Akane picked up the paper curiously. It was a piece of torn sketchbook paper.

"Oh no!!! This is the last page of the sketchbook! It got torn off!!!!" Akane set off in a rush. 

"No! No! No!!! Don't leave!!!", Shampoo yelled, but Akane was already far away.

-- o – 0 – o --

            All alone in the deserted corridor, Ranma stared mutely at the empty sketchbook. All his efforts had been for naught. He threw the sketchbook away angrily, and then slumped down on the ground. Another dream dashed. He should have known something like this would happen. It always ended like this. 

            Then he spotted something on the floor in front of him. It was his Math notebook. It reminded him of what happened that morning between him and Akane on their way to school. He smiled bitterly. Quietly, he reached for it and opened it to the last page. Taking out a pencil, he started drawing in silence. 

            Akane half-ran, half-walked along the empty hallways of Furinkan High. It was getting dark already, and she was worried about Ranma. With all the weird things that had happened to him today, she thought that he must be feeling really bad by now. She also wanted to say sorry, and thank him for saving her from Kuno, and ask him if he was fine… there was so many things she wanted to tell him! 

            Finally, she reached the top-most floor of their school. She'd looked all over the place to no avail, and if he wasn't here she didn't know where to look anymore. It was getting dark, and the silence and shadows of the corridors was creeping her out. She peered through the growing darkness nervously. Then she saw him slumped on the floor, and relief and concern exploded in her chest. What was he doing there on the ground? Was he hurt? She all but rushed to get to his side.

            Ranma finished drawing and held the notebook out to inspect his handiwork. He stared at it for a moment and then threw it away in disgust. The notebook landed in front of a pair of black shoes that looked awfully familiar. Ranma gaped in surprise. In his dejection, he hadn't heard Akane arrive.

            Akane stared at the notebook by her feet, at Ranma's face, and the open empty Sketchbook. She stared at the notebook the longest. Ranma gulped.

            "No more magic sketchbook left?" she asked softly.

            "no more," he answered.

            "this was what you wanted to wish for?" she asked again, staring at his drawing.

            "yes," he replied. He painfully watched her as she stood there silent and unmoving. Finally, she spoke.

            "You don't need a magic sketchbook for that, you dummy!"

As Ranma stared at his fiancee, he suddenly felt like a large burden was taken off his shoulders, and his heart suddenly lifted up when he saw the blossoming smile on Akane's lips. Slowly, he stood up as Akane closed in on the remaining distance between them. She flew to Ranma's arms as if it was the most natural thing in the world for her to do.

"I love you, Akane," he whispered as he enfolded her in a sweet embrace.

"I love you, too," she said softly.

The open notebook fell on the ground, forgotten. Amidst the smiling sketches of Akane was the drawing of a couple in a tight embrace, with love shining in their eyes.

THE END


End file.
